SynthesisBMJ open2021
Efficacy of positive psychotherapy in reducing negative and enhancing positive psychological outcomes: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
Synthesis in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 19 citations in OpenAlex.
- Application of Positive Psychology in Digital Interventions for Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials.JMIR mental health · 2024Pooled it
- The effect of acceptance and commitment therapy on negative emotions and quality of life in stroke patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurologyPooled it
- Evaluation of Two Web-Based Interventions (REMOTION and Res-Up!) for Clients From Psychotherapy Waitlists in Routine Outpatient Psychotherapy (Therapy Online Plus-TOP): Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Trial
- GPT-Powered Chatbot-Based Positive Psychology Intervention for Well-Being Among Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Single-Arm Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Long-Term Effects of Positive Psychotherapy Compared to Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Clinical Depression: An 18-Month Follow-Up Randomized Controlled Trial.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivePositive psychotherapy (PPT) aims at increasing positive affect, meaning and engagement. We aimed to synthesise the available evidence on PPT efficacy.
designWe conducted a preregistered systematic literature search and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials examining the efficacy of PPT for increasing positive (eg, satisfaction with life) or decreasing negative psychological outcomes (eg, depression). DATA SOURCES: Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science from 2006 (ie, inception of PPT) to February 2020 as well as related systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
resultsWe included 20 randomised controlled trial with a total of 1360 participants. Moderate effect sizes were found for increasing positive outcomes (g=-0.72, 95% CI: -1.31 to -0.14, k=10, numbers needed to treat (NNT)=2.55) and reducing negative outcomes (g=0.48, 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.78, k=8, NNT=3.76) when PPT was compared with waitlist control conditions at post-treatment assessment. When compared with active control conditions, PPT yielded large effect sizes for increasing positive outcomes (g=-0.92, 95% CI: -1.74 to -0.11, k=6, NNT=2.05) and reducing depression (g=0.94, 95% CI: 0.18 to 1.70, k=6, NNT=2.03) at post-treatment assessment. No significant differences in efficacy were found when compared with established treatments such as cognitive-behavioural therapy. Evidence was found to support an association between trial quality and effect sizes. For positive outcomes, higher trial quality was related to larger effect size. Whereas higher trial quality was associated with smaller effect size for depression. Follow-up assessments remained too scarce for most planned analyses.
conclusionsOur findings support the short-term efficacy of PPT. However, results are to be regarded with due caution in the light of low number of trials. More high-quality trials that assess efficacy at follow-ups are needed to draw firmer conclusions on the long-term efficacy of PPT. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020173567.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.